Today marks the 24th anniversary of the 9-11 Attacks on the United States. A ceremony will be held at 8am this morning at the Ottawa Fire Station. The public is encouraged to attend.
September 11th, 2001, started like any other day. I bet all of you can remember exactly where your were and what you were doing when you heard America had been attacked. I was a paraprofessional at Ottawa Middle School, in Brad Simon’s 8th grade science class. Simon got a phone call, jumped to the tv, told the class to watch. They watched. Then when the second plane flew into the other tower, the class erupted in shock and awe. Simon told them to sit down shut up and watch this because it’s going to affect the rest of your lives…. Prophetic words. You could hear a pin drop in that room over the next hour and for all the classes that followed. That afternoon leaving school, we saw a jet flying overhead. But, wait, all planes had been grounded earlier in the day. Why a plane? I t was Air Force One carrying President Bush to a secure bunker somewhere in the hills in Nebraska. Another powerful moment, I remember. Tell your kids, tell your grand children, don’t let them forget.
24 years later, I still have a mix of emotion. Proud the way the Nation came together, angry that it happened in the first place, and somewhat irritated with what has happened since. With all the unrest and division in the country today, please don’t forget who and what you are, an American! Strong and proud.
